Grateful
by Azamiko
Summary: LinxMai.  5 Kisses for Kyia's birthday.  Fluff.


For Kyia/Aki-chan! Early Happy Birthday! I told you I'd do it! Hope you like it!

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The first time Mai kissed Lin it was on his cheek, in gratitude for comforting her.

She'd woken up that day, feeling the same as usual. However, when she arrived at the SPR offices and had been greeted by Naru's usual cold 'request' for tea, she'd been struck with a realization. She didn't love Naru, at least, not in a romantic way. She felt more like a sister or something like that.

Being a romantic and loyal girl, Mai felt terrible about this revelation. The girl wasn't sure when or how it had happened, or if she'd really felt that way the entire time and the Gene-dreams just confused the matter. Either way, the surprise of her new self-knowledge made her uncomfortable and a little shaky.

Lin, who'd just stepped out of his office, noticed her upset and asked her what was wrong. The tall man had a rare look of concern on his face as he approached the goldfish-imitating girl. She didn't speak until after he'd guided her gently to the couch and sat them down.

"I'm not in love with Naru."

Mai's blunt statement to her co-worker wasn't the shock it had been for her. He, after all, was a bit older and understood more about teenage hormones and people who swept in and changed your life. It was natural that she'd confuse her feelings, he told her. And it didn't mean that she was being disloyal or that she was fickle.

She'd felt much better after talking with the Chinese man, and even Naru couldn't upset her when he finally came out of his office looking for his workers and his tea. Mai, with her new realization, had simply laughed and went to make the tea.

Just before leaving for the day, she'd stopped in Lin's office to thank him. He'd been honestly surprised at her gratitude, stating that he considered her a friend, so of course he'd wanted to help her. She'd smiled, leant up, and kissed his cheek before thanking him again and leaving.

Lin was glad she'd left quickly, because he was certain he could feel a blush overtaking his pale cheeks. It was confirmed when Naru walked in the office a moment later to check if Lin was ready to leave. The boy's eyebrow shot up when he took in the sight of the embarrassed looking man, but he didn't ask any questions.

Lin was grateful.

The second time Mai kissed Lin, she was possessed by a woman who's lover had been a tall Chinese man.

The case had been relatively easy, with no one having to go to the hospital afterwards. All of the other SPR workers had agreed that such an easy case was worth Mai and Lin's embarrassment. Actually, Takigawa had expressed shock that the stoic Lin was even capable of blushing.

Mai, who had only vague, fuzzy memories of what had happened in the time that she'd been possessed, apologized over and over again on the way back to the office. Unlike everyone else, she didn't notice that her apologies were embarrassing the poor man almost as much as the kiss had.

"It's fine, Mai-chan, really."

Lin could barely look at her the next day, but things soon went back to normal. Though Takigawa had delighted in telling her that she'd kissed Lin, the monk had graciously left out a few other details. Such as the fact that while kissing the stunned Chinese man, Mai's possessed hands had wandered. He probably refrained from mentioning it more because of Mai's age and innocence than because he wanted to spare Lin any more embarrassment.

Either way, Lin was grateful.

The third time Mai kissed Lin she was kissing him goodbye.

He'd gotten the call late on a Friday, telling him that his cousin's cancer had was finally taking its toll, and that the she probably wouldn't live out the week. Lin booked a flight for Saturday, and Mai volunteered to help him pack. She ended up spending the entire night in his apartment, packing the things he would need, cleaning out the refrigerator, straightening up, and making cup after cup of tea.

Lin, for his part, was thankful for the company. His cousin had been in the hospital, dying, for months, but it was still a blow that it was finally happening. They'd been close when they were children. He told Mai stories about the things he and his cousin had done, and when he trailed off into dark thoughts, she brought him out with stories of her own childhood.

They left the apartment at dawn, and she walked with him to the bus station, where a bus for Narita airport was just pulling in. The area was surprisingly quiet, empty except for the bus driver loading Lin's bags. The tall man had a slightly lost look on his face, and Mai hugged him so that she wouldn't have to see it. Then, she pulled him down and kissed his forehead.

"Come back safely."

Lin was in England with his family for a month. They had insisted, and Naru had, not really surprisingly, agreed. It was nice to be back with them, but Lin had almost forgotten all of the nosy questions family members are wont to ask. When they found out that he called Mai a few times a week to 'check up on things,' his aunts and uncles had all started whispering to one another, and his cousins had all started asking questions. If he didn't answer the most pertinent one--'so, you like this girl?'--no one pointed it out.

For that, Lin was very grateful.

The fourth time Mai kissed Lin was when he dropped her off at her apartment after dinner.

They didn't call it a date, but that's really what it was. Lin had approached her after they were both done for the day, suggesting a new restaurant that he'd heard was good. Mai hadn't really been surprised by the invitation--it was obvious that they'd been working up to something like this--and had readily agreed.

Dinner had been nice, even if they had talked mostly about work and the supernatural. Mai realized just how attached she'd grown to her job, and Lin realized that he could listen to Mai talk for hours without becoming the least bit bored. They'd shared their favorite ghost stories, and Lin told Mai the story of how he'd come to be an Onmyouji. Both had been somewhat reluctant when the time came to say goodnight, even though they had work together the next day.

When they'd gotten to Mai's apartment, she'd looked up at him hesitantly and asked if this counted as a date. He'd smiled softly and touched her hair.

"It's whatever you want it to be."

Mai grinned and said that since it was a date, it should have a proper ending. Then, she pulled him down and pressed a short--but sweet--kiss on his lips. Stepping back and blushing, she'd stammered a goodnight, causing Lin to wonder where her bravery of moments before had gone. She barely looked at him before practically closing the door in his face.

The next day, a teasing Ayako asked John if there didn't seem to be something different about Lin and Mai today. Was it just her, or were they blushing every time they looked at one another? John, embarrassed and out of his depth, had firmly told the Miko that no, they seemed fine to him. When Ayako wasn't looking, though, John had smiled nervously and nodded at the older man. Lin understood that he had the priest's support against the gossips in their group.

He was infinitely grateful.

The fifth time Mai kissed Lin, she had just told him that she was probably falling in love with him.

They were alone in the office once again, Naru having left to escape Madoka, and Madoka having been dragged shopping with Ayako. Sitting on the couch, drinking tea, and chatting with Mai about nothing had quickly become Lin's favorite past time. Lin, for all his quiet ways, believed in things strongly, and Mai, for all her enthusiasm, was always willing to listen to the opposite viewpoint, as long as she could debate it. This made for many lively discussions.

It was in the middle of one such debate that Mai burst out with what she'd been thinking about for the past few days. It hadn't really been a surprise, not like when she'd realized that she wasn't in love with Naru, but it was still something new to think about. That was why it had taken her days to work up the courage to say it. Even she didn't know why she'd blurted it out in the middle of a conversation about whether Tokyo or London was more popular.

Lin had frozen for a moment, staring at the girl in front of him. Then he asked if she was sure. With no more hesitation, Mai had answered in the affirmative. She'd edged a little closer, too, and he'd pretended not to notice. He'd asked again, thinking of the morning when she'd almost been in tears because she didn't love Naru. He asked how she knew that this wasn't something like that.

"It just feels right."

Mai had kissed him then, longer and deeper than any before--that she knew of, anyway. Lin, hoping that she wouldn't change her mind--_ever_--kissed back just as fiercely. He knew that Mai went on instinct for most things, and perhaps that was why she'd been confused over Naru. She'd admitted to him that she hadn't thought that she liked him until she thought she was dreaming about him. So really, it was her brain that made the incorrect assumption, because she didn't know about Gene or her powers.

But this was too much thinking, and Lin gave himself over to the kiss, inwardly agreeing with Mai. It just felt right, talking with her, kissing her, being with her. Nothing he could recall had ever felt so right.

And if she felt the same way, well, he was more than grateful.


End file.
